This invention discloses an intravenous apparatus and a procedure for filling same which employs a normally closed backflow check valve device, a syringe, and anti-contamination caps of luer lock design. While none of these articles is novel, in itself, to the art of intravenous fluid administration, this particular combination of elements, put to the particular purpose described herein, is totally new and constitutes a substantial improvement over prior art.
Basically, my invention constitutes improvements in pharmaceutical apparatus and procedure. In a hospital pharmacy, it is regularly necessary to add fluids to intravenous containers which may or may not already contain other fluid or fluid soluble material. For example, containers of a base liquid, such as blood, might require infusion with an anti-coagulant, or an antibiotic might be added to containers already containing sterile water or a nutrient feeding solution such as dextrose. For a situation which would involve the addition of fluid to an intravenous container which held fluid-soluble dry material, see Gardner, U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,697. (See later discussion of this patent under Prior Art.)
Since there is no reason for the intravenous container to be pre-filled with any substance before my invention may be utilized to advantage, it should be realized that this procedure and apparatus may be used by a blood bank or other distributing or manufacturing site to fill intravenous containers initially.